Jamie Barton and Clay Hilley ride the waves for Mahler's epic farewell

Clay Hiller & Anja Bihlmaier
© BBC/Chris Christodoulou

Jamie Barton (mezzo-soprano)

Clay Hilley (tenor)

BBC Philharmonic Orchestra

Anja Bihlmaier (conductor)

7pm, Friday 21 August 2026
BBC Proms
Royal Albert Hall, London

★★★★

El-Turk, Bushra (b.1982): Mosaic

Haydn, Joseph (1732-1809): Symphony Not 45 in F sharp minor, 'Farewell'

Mahler, Gustav (1860-1911): Das Lied von der Erde

Jamie Barton & Anja Bihlmaier
© BBC/Chris Christodoulou

El-Turk:

'A striking piece that definitely benefits from repeat listening'.

Haydn:

'The players’ gradual departure was stylishly staged and, following Bihlmaier‘s departure and a cheeky yawn and wave from the viola, the two violinists were left alone to finish'.

Mahler:

'Hilley’s operatic delivery of the Drinking Song of Earth’s Misery was gripping, full of drunken swagger. Despite initial balance issues, his repeated 'Dark is life, dark is death!' rang through with knife-edge precision'.

'Bihlmaier brought the orchestra right down, allowing Barton to colour her delivery with sensuous slides, shimmering with golden sunlight'. 

'Barton exuded warmth for 'Die liebe Erde' with mandolins again and celesta, before the final tragic 'Ewig' (Forever) repetitions brought the evening to a sombre yet peaceful conclusion'.  

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

'Chopin sans Chopin' - pianist Adam Golka excels in viewing wide-ranging 19th & 20th repertoire through the lens of the piano giant

Polish-American pianist Adam Golka already has three recordings with First Hand Records under his belt, with repertoire covering Beethoven, Brahms and Schumann. But with his new recording, Chopin sans Chopin, he takes a different turn. The fascinating premise covers a wide range of 19^th and 20^th century music, all through the lens of Chopin, without a note of Chopin actually played. Golka explains in his fascinating and personally reflective notes the significance but also the burden of Chopin for a pianist of Polish heritage. As the son of Polish parents, a pianist and a piano technician, Chopin’s music loomed large, and perhaps in reaction to this, he describes how he turned away from Chopin to other repertoire. The album is therefore part of his ‘wading upstream towards the river’s source’, a kind of return to Chopin and his Polish heritage. So for all the music here – some close to Chopin either chronologically or stylistically, some seemingly further removed – there is a rationale for us to view it in terms of being either directly or indirectly inspired by Chopin. 

So he begins with a beautifully flowing and calm reading of Fauré’s Nocturne No. 4, Op. 36. Fauré’s later Nocturnes push the boundaries of the form harmonically and scale-wise, but here, we’re very much in the moonlit, lyrical territory of Chopin’s. Yet listening with the earlier composer in mind immediately casts a different light on the work, and the same happens with Brahms’ Scherz, Op. 4 that follows. It’s hard to comprehend that Brahms allegedly denied any influence of Chopin on the piece, as both in terms of dramatic mood and specifics of repetition and octave passages, the links are strong. Golka’s performance here also manages to bring out the lighter moments that some weightier readings miss, making the connection even stronger, particularly with the opening mercurial figures, yet he doesn’t hold back on the drama either, especially driving to the wild conclusion. Several rather neglected Polish composers also receive attention, beginning with a delightful Mazurka from Natalia Janotha (1856-1932), a premiere recording, no less. She studied with Clara Schumann, and may also have had lessons from Brahms. Golka has combined elements of two published versions of this gem from 1894, and his delicate articulation around its engaging melodic line is contrasted well with the quirky, almost jazzy, even ragtime-esque central section, with a wild flourish into its closing section. Much wilder, more extravagant Romanticism comes next in the form of Scriabin’s surging Fantasie, Op. 28, steeped in his reverence for Chopin. Golka rides its glorious waves, and the build to the conclusion is nothing short of remarkable. Back to Poland next for another Mazurka, this time by Roman Maciejewski (1910-1998), subtitled Wieczorem (Upon Evening), probably dating from the composer’s time in Sweden, to where he emigrated at the start of World War II. It has glassy, Ravelian harmonies, as well as Stravinskian and Poulenc-infused bouncy rhythmic sections, yet there are still hints of Chopin’s melodic twists that remind us of the Mazurka form, and Golka’s warm tone and delicate articulation is a delight here. Next we travel to Mexico, for Manuel Ponce (1882-1948) and his Balada Mexicana, with its infectious folk melody with gently rocking accompaniment. A florid outburst leads to a more graceful, nostalgic central section based on another folk song, Acuerdate de mi (Remember me), and Golka ripples through the runs and trills before returning with virtuosic ebullience to the opening heart-on-sleeve melody. 

A slight left-turn next, to Gershwin’s Three Preludes. Chopin, you say? Well Chopin’s Prelude No. 2 is surely there in the left hand of Gershwin’s No. 2, and the movement has the same dark edge in its movement, perfect for the bluesy right hand. It’s often played slower than here, although it is marked andante con moto, and Golka’s sense of movement works well. Either side, the first has joyful rhythmic energy, and the third drives through like a Chopin Fantasie. Back to Poland again for Władysław Szpilman (1911-2000), known to most as the protagonist of Polański’s film The Pianist. His Mazurka is full of heartbreaking nostalgia, with self-evident homage to Chopin, and Golka infuses this miniature with moving simplicity. And finally, Golka heads into the jazzy world of Nikolai Kapustin (1937-2020), for two of his 8 Concert Etudes, Op. 40. No. 7, Intermezzo moves from laid-back jazzy swing into a virtuosic, theatrical display, and No. 8, Finale, with its train-like running rhythm gives Golka the chance to show off his command of its fiendish technical demands. The Chopin thread aside, the range of repertoire on this disc is extensive, and Golka is impressive throughout. And the trick of making us listen with Chopin in mind works remarkably well, bringing out new connections in the few familiar works here, but also demonstrating the wide-spread and sometimes unexpected influences Chopin has had on piano repertoire across the centuries since. I appreciate the baggage attached, but it would be great to hear Golka record some Chopin now – maybe reverse the lens from this disc, to some of the pieces mentioned that connect with this repertoire?

Various. 2026. Chopin sans Chopin. Adam Golka. Compact Disc. First Hand Records FHR168.

My review of Golka playing Schumann here.

Ibragimova's Mendelssohn a tad too delicate for Schwarz and the BBCNOW

Elena Schwarz
© BBC/Chris Christodoulou

Alina Ibragimova (violin)
BBC National Orchestra of Wales

Lesley Hatfield (leader)
Elena Schwarz (conductor)

7pm, Tuesday 4 August 2026
BBC Proms
Royal Albert Hall, London

★★★

Zimmermann, Bernd Alois (1918-1970): Märchen-Suite
Mendelssohn, Felix (1809-1847): Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64
Dvořák, Anton (1842-1904): Symphony No. 7 in D minor, Op. 70

Alina Ibragimova
& the BBC National Orchestra of Wales
© BBC/Chris Christodoulou

Zimmermann:

'Schwarz’s larger-than-life gestures encouraged the orchestra to put their full weight behind it. Elsewhere, the strings went from pianissimo shimmering to screaming forte, against shining brass and mysterious, atmospheric woodwinds, in an overall engaging performance of this curiousity'.

Mendelssohn:

'Ibragimova’s risk-taking dynamics were definitely worth it, drawing the whole hall in for her intimate cadenza, and for her passionately singing slow movement'.

'Some of the time, Schwarz managed to get the orchestra to match Ibragimova’s dynamic range, but elsewhere, it was like the orchestra hadn’t got the memo'.

Dvořák:

'Schwarz felt freer to give big gestures and allow the horns to lead the fuller sound in the opening movement'. 

Elena Schwarz
© BBC/Chris Christodoulou

'The finale fizzed with rattling horns and beefy trombones, building to a triumphant finish, although the slide into the final chords felt a tad rushed – blink and it was all over'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Easter Rising - a striking and evocative set of String Works by Hugh Shrapnel from the Tippett Quartet

Last summer I had the pleasure of meeting with composer Hugh Shrapnel to discuss his music (see here), and he talked then of his next project, a recording of string works with the Tippett Quartet. The recording, Easter Rising, is now out on Convivium Records, and contains four works, with a thread of protest, political struggle and striving for social justice and peace connecting them. Easter Rising 1916, which gives the recording its title, is the most overtly political piece, and has an additional part for the Irish fiddle, played her by Jo Cooper. It was composed in 2016 for Cornelius Cardew Concerts Trust at Morley College London to mark the centenary of the Easter Rising, a rebellion by Irish Republicans that was brutally suppressed by the British. The subsequent execution of sixteen of the leaders of the Rising, as well as the civilian casualties, and internment of prisoners, galvanised support for independence, leading to the Irish War of Independence (1919-21) and the creation of the Irish Free State in 1921. Shrapnel’s piece, in five sections, begins with a mournful Irish song melody on the violin, over drones from the lower music, evoking the long Irish history of Irish struggle and song. The other instruments join and entwine with the melody, and then more insistent repeated rhythmic figures increase the intensity, as if in debate, as the preparations are made for the Rising. The swirling tune of the song We Only Want the Earth by James Connolly, one of the Rising’s leaders, dominates the middle section depicting the Rising itself, before the music subsides into sadness for the Aftermath, a lament for the executed leaders (including James Connolly). Then the folk tune, The Foggy Dew emerges on the Irish fiddle, with simple background from the other instruments, save the occasional echo from the quartet’s first violin. The reemergence of Irish song takes the work full circle, with a quiet defiance and recognition of Ireland’s history of struggle, with an equally defiant energy from the quartet to finish. Overall, this is a highly engaging and striking piece, somehow capturing feelings of frustration, despair and loss, as well as anger, defiance and hope. Appropriately, the work is followed on the recording by a new work, For Peace, written for and dedicated to the Tippett Quartet for this recording. It is described as ‘an expression for yearning for peace in our increasingly troubled and divided world’, signalling that the struggle for justice and peace goes on. It begins quietly, and a long sustained violin line emerges over even longer notes from the lower instruments. Yearning and crying comes from insistent, rising repetitive figures. Rather than a soothing, peaceful piece, in its brief five and a half minutes, this is an elegiac yet pained plea for much needed peace. 
 
The disc opens with another work composed for a CCCT concert at Morley College, for which the theme was One World, with two accompanying poems writte by Carol Rumens, this time for piano quintet. The first, The Hazel Nut (Posing The Problem) draws on one of Julian of Norwich’s Revelations of Divine Love, in which she dreamt that the world was contained in a hazel nut in the palm of her hand. Her second poem, Circling the Square (posing the Solution) expresses a hope that people rediscover the importance of all matter and reconnect with the world and each other. Shrapnel’s piece opens with dancing, circling rhythms from the strings, then the piano enters with ethereal chords over a drone from the cello, as the violins continue to skitter above. Then the energy slows, with the piano taking over the role of skittering about. The piano takes up the repeated figures and the violins sing more lyrically above, before the piano shatters the mood with more dramatic stabbing, with the strings following. String harmonics over low piano and cello drone add to the overall sense of mystery, before the opening dancing material returns, before being finally transformed into a more joyful folk dance with ringing bells from the piano which ultimately subsides into a gently peaceful conclusion. Again, Shrapnel successfully captures moods and emotions without being tied down to anything too literal in terms of the poetry.
 
Nascence, for string quartet and piano, was composed for the CCCT concert at Morley College in 2017, the theme being Born to Society, a poem written by Canadian communist Hardial Bains, which calls for a ‘world which is humanised’, with an end to ‘anger and strife’. Shrapnel’s work is driving and energetic, and in fact opens full of ‘anger and strife’, with driving rhythmic figures and astringent harmonies. Whilst the central section hints at calmer waters, it soon regains the frenzy of the opening section. It is only as the piano’s repeated low tolling reins the strings into calmness that lyricism from the violins and then the rest of the quartet can emerge, yet the piano continues to toll defiantly to the end. It’s a subtle shift perhaps from ‘anger and strife’ to ‘the expression of what is alive’ – but then, in the context of some of the other themes on this recording, maybe an element of anger is still needed to keep the struggle for peace and justice alive.
 
Throughout this recording, the Tippett Quartet play with incision and energy, as well as warm tone in the more lyrical moments. Lynn Arnold brings resonance and authority to the piano parts in the two opening works, and Jo Cooper’s contribution on the Irish fiddle at the close of Easter Rising 1916 adds a beautifully evocative touch. Clearly, some of these pieces have direct roots in poetry, and in his interview with me, Hugh described his work as often ‘descriptive, of a mood – poems in music’. The importance of the environment, community and political issues also shines through once again here, making for another fascinating and diverse selection of his music, a welcome addition to previous recordings of his piano and chamber works (links for these can be found here). 

Shrapnel, Hugh. (2025). Easter Rising: String Works. Tippett Quartet, Lynn Arnold, Jo Cooper. Compact Disc/Download. Convivium Records. CR125. 

Royal Opera revival of La Fille du régiment delights with fresh fizz

Sara Blanch (Marie) & Juan Diego Flórez (Tonio)
© RBO/Tristram Kenton

Yves Abel (Conductor)

Laurent Pelly (Director & Costume Designer)

Dan Dooner (Revival Director)

Agathe Mélinand (Dialogue)

Chantal Thomas (Set Designer)

Joël Adam (Lighting Designer)

Laura Scozzi (Choreographer)

Karine Girard (Revival Choreographer)

Royal Opera Chorus

William Spaudling (Chorus Director)

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

Magnus Johnston (Concert Master)

Juan Diego Flórez (Tonio)
© RBO/Tristram Kenton

Sara Blanch (Marie)

Juan Diego Flórez (Tonio)

Paolo Bordogna (Sulpice Pingot)

Sonia Ganassi (La Marquise de Berkenfield)

Donald Maxwell (Hortensius)

Eugene Dillon-Hooper (Corporal)

Luke Price (Peasant)

Jean-Pierre Blanchard (Notary)

Tamsin Greig (La Duchesse de Crakentorp)

7.30pm, Tuesday 7 July 2026

Royal Opera, Covent Garden, London

★★★★

Donizetti, Gaetano (1797-1848): La fille du régiment, Opera comique

(Libretto de Saint-Georges, Jules-Henri Vernoy (1799-1845) & Bayard, Jean-François-Alfred (1796-1853))

Sara Blanch (Marie), Juan Diego Flórez (Tonio)
& Paolo Bordogna (Sulpice)
© RBO/Tristram Kenton

'Laurent Pelly’s sparkling production of Donizetti’s La Fille du régiment is back at The Royal Opera, and based on last night’s opening performance, the fizz is as fresh as ever'.

'Making her Royal Opera debut as Marie, Sara Blanch was frankly astonishing. She is the complete package, with impeccable comic timing and convincing physical comedy, but also phenomenal vocal technique, whether upright, lying down or being held aloft by a chorus of soldiers'.

'He also still has that ability to flip from Harold Lloyd-esque comedy and highwire vocal gymnastics to winning hearts in the sustained lyricism of 'Pour me rapprocher de Marie''.

'Tamsin Greig’s splendid turn as the stuffy Duchess was in danger of stealing the show, even managing to make the shoe-horned World Cup jokes land, and maintaining character right to the curtain call'.

Tamsin Greig (Duchesse de Crakentorp) and chorus
© RBO/Tristram Kenton

'So raise a glass of bubbly to this effervescent and polished evening of joyful nonsense, and to the strong performances all round, not least from Flórez and especially Blanch – here’s hoping for more from her at Covent Garden in the future'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Glyndebourne’s Billy Budd makes a welcome return, fresh and devastating as ever

The Glyndebourne Chorus in Billy Budd
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Tristram Kenton

Nicholas Carter (Conductor)

Michael Grandage (Director)

Ian Rutherford (Revival Director)

Christopher Oram (Designer)

Paule Constable (Lighting Designer)

Mark Ruddick (Flight Director)

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Pieter Schoeman (Leader)

The Glyndebourne Chorus

Aidan Oliver (Chorus Director)

Thomas Mole (Billy Budd)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Tristram Kenton

Allan Clayton (Captain Vere)

Michael Wallace (First Mate)

John Mackenzie-Lavansch (Second Mate)

William Thomas (Mr Flint)

Michael Ronan (Bosun)

Samuel Dale Johnson (Donald)

Ru Charlesworth (Maintop)

Laurence Kilsby (Novice)

Daniel Norman (Squeak)

Dingle Yandell (Mr Redburn)

Daniel Okulitch (Lieutenant Ratcliffe)

Sam Carl (Claggart)

Alasdair Elliott (Red Whiskers)

Adam Marsden (Arthur Jones)

Thomas Mole (Billy Budd)

Alex Otterburn (Novice's Friend)

Clive Bayley (Dansker)

Gabriel Elliott Rous (Cabin Boy)

Sam Carl (Claggart) & Daniel Norman (Squeak)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Tristram Kenton

5pm, Thursday 2 July 2026

Glyndebourne, East Sussex

★★★★

Britten, Benjamin (1913-1976): Billy Budd, Op. 50

(libretto by Forster, E.M. (1879-1970) & Crozier, Eric (1914-1994))

'Thomas Mole's Billy, full of wide-eyed innocence, held onto his blind belief in Captain Vere right to the very end, despite evidence to the contrary, and was convincingly moving throughout'.

'Allan Clayton's steely tenor was impressive as ever as Vere, and the transition from the troubled and flawed captain to the haunted old man of the Prologue and Epilogue, reflecting on his failure to protect and save Billy, was powerfully moving'. 

William Thomas (Mr Flint), Allan Clayton (Captain Vere)
& Dingle Yandell (Mr Redburn)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Tristram Kenton

'Sam Carl (Claggart) had the vocal range and ... his baritone was penetratingly evil'.

'The chorus excelled at full-voice, as well as in their quiet chanting resignation, and their choreographed resistance and rapid movement around the levels of the set were solid and convincing'.

'Nicholas Carter conducted the London Philharmonic Orchestra with precision and energy, bringing brilliance to Britten’s searing score, especially from the gleaming brass'. 

Clive Bayley (Dansker), Alasdair Elliott (Red Whiskers),
Samuel Dale Johnson (Donald) & Alex Otterburn (Novice's Friend)
© Glyndebourne Productions Ltd. Photo: Tristram Kenton 

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Improvisatory Gershwin from Ryan Wang in a boldly energetic Chromatica programme

Ewan Millar and Chromatica Orchestra
© Monika Jakubowska

Ryan Wang (piano)

Nick Walker (trumpet)

Ewan Millar (cor anglais)

Ingunn Korsgård Hagen (conductor)

Jonathan Gibson (conductor)

Students from Bobby Moore Academy

Chromatica Orchestra

Maren Bosma (leader)

7.30pm, Wednesday 17 June 2026

Grand Hall, Battersea Arts Centre, London

★★★★

Ryan Wang and Chromatica Orchestra
© Monika Jakubowska

Copland, Aaron (1900-1990): Quiet City

Gerwshin, George (1898-1937): Rhapsody in Blue

Encore:

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (1756-1791): Piano Sonata no. 11 in A major, K331: Rondo alla Turca (arr. Volodos, Arcadi (b.1972)/Say, Fazil (b.1970)/Wang, Ryan?)

Bernstein, Leonard (1918-1990):  Symphonic Dances from 'West Side Story': 'Mambo'

Ives, Charles (1874-1954): Central Park in the Dark

Bernstein, Leondard: Suite from 'Fancy Free'

'Rhythms were tight, intonation solid and ensemble strong, and they were at the programme’s centre, rather than tucked away in pre-concert event'.

'The trumpet carries the questioning solo line, with the cor anglais a kind of echoing reminder, and this came across well in Walker’s assured yet nervy entries, and Millar’s mournful, mellow tones'. 

Ingunn Korsgård Hagen conducts Chromatica Orchestra
© Monika Jakubowska

'The spirit of the performance and the clear enjoyment of the Chromatica players held it all together, with sprightly tempi set by Wang and Korsgård Hagen...Wang returned for a bravura jazzed-up encore of Mozart’s Rondo alla turca.'.

'With drunken waltzes, jazzy piano moments and cheeky swagger (with sailor hats) from the drummer and pianist, they had great fun, whilst negotiating those complex rhythms with ease'.

'They all had a ball, and that communicated to the audience, bringing their programme full of energetic rhythm and bombast but also atmospheric nuance to a joyful close'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Ingunn Korsgård Hagen conducts Chromatica Orchestra
© Nick Boston

Ryan Wang and Chromatica Orchestra
© Nick Boston